


filling in the blanks as we go

by panicmoonwalker



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Bakery AU, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, and the general gang u know, drama and cupcakes and a lot of taylor swift
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23460043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panicmoonwalker/pseuds/panicmoonwalker
Summary: You hold my hand on the streetWalk me back to that apartmentYears ago, we were just insideBarefoot in the kitchenSacred new beginningsIt was only three years ago Amy took over the family bakery, the best on the block since 1905. But since Sal retired, there are concerns of real competition arising, so Amy must do anything to keep Santiago Dulces on top.
Relationships: Jake Peralta & Amy Santiago, Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago
Comments: 17
Kudos: 38





	1. i knew you were trouble

**Author's Note:**

> a new multichapter after yet another meltdown?????? shocking.
> 
> i've creatively combined minds with mai for this, so basically its a combination of two ideas we had! i'm so extremely excited about it and to see where it goes!!
> 
> fic title from cornelia street  
> chapter title from i knew you were trouble  
> most, if not all, chapter titles will be named after taylor swift songs because jake peralta stans the right woman!!
> 
> enjoy 😁

_To whom it may concern,_

_Here at the New York Baker’s Association, we are thrilled with the amount of bakeries opening each year. The amount of talent poured into every pastry and varied food is delightful to see. With that, I’m glad to announce the annual_ New York Baker’s Competition!

_This competition, as always, is open to all bakeries of any variety in the state of New York. Details of the competition are laid out in the attachment below…_

_Hope to see your wonderful creations soon!_

_Regards, Raymond Holt President of NYBA_

Amy holds in her squeal inside her cramped office, so as to not disturb her workers or the hungry customers, but it’s difficult. She can see Rosa serving their most esteemed regular customers, Hitchcock and Scully. They’ve been there every day at the same time, without fail, ever since Amy was a young girl. Detectives, they apparently are. But they investigated a robbery down the street once and from what she saw, they weren’t too great.

Rosa puts on the fake smile she does every day as Hitchcock and Scully leave. _For you, Amy._ That’s what she tells her but follows it up with a threat never to tell anyone, so Amy doesn’t question it and lets her scare a small fraction of their customers away. It wouldn’t matter anyway, since her family’s bakery was the best on the block, and had been for 115 years. 

If Amy were to describe her life as the solar system, _Santiago Dulces_ would be the sun, because her life quite literally revolves around the place. She had followed her parents footsteps, going to college for business so that she could take over one day. With seven brothers, there was a lot of debate of _who_ would take over, but in the end she was more convincing and trustworthy. The victory dance after beating David had been nothing short of an event.

Amy had known Rosa since they were toddlers, so together they had grown up in this bakery. Together they learned everything they knew. Rosa wasn’t always there, though. She’s taking a million courses, seemingly at once, which meant she could only work part time. Regardless, Rosa was a great relief to Amy.

People will say their favourite time of year is the holidays, or vacation, or even their birthday. Amy’s favourite time of year? The annual baking competition. Even before she was allowed to help out at the store, she would always beg to help bake the delicacy they served each year. Their family always ranked high, but since Amy officially took over three years earlier, she had ranked in the top five each time.

Winning that competition would win her the spot on the mantle. Amy had already inherited the bakery over David, but being on the mantle, that would be the ultimate victory to defeat her worst brother. 

“Okay, the bozos are gone, what is it you wanted to talk about?” Rosa sits on the edge of her desk, her composure relaxed.

“Did you hear about Sal retiring?” Amy inquires, closing her laptop and turning to face Rosa who nods. “Well, he obviously is going to have a replacement so I’m suggesting we do something to one up whatever this new owner is going to do to _spice it up_ business-wise.”

“Why worry? _Sal’s Bakery_ isn’t even on Boyle’s Blast and we are.” Rosa shrugs, appearing uninterested as usual.

“You never know who’s going to take over, Rosa!” Amy crosses her arms defensively. “They could be, like, a master baker or something… Maybe they were on _Masterchef,_ Rosa.”

“Yeah, okay, Subha Ramiah bought that run down, no good bakery.” Rosa lets out a burst of laughter.

“Yeah, not freakin’ Subha.” Amy laughs with Rosa for a moment before readjusting. “Look, just hear me out.”

In the end, Rosa agrees to what she calls a ‘ridiculous and completely unnecessary’ idea. Even if she didn’t approve, Amy would have gone ahead with the idea, she just _likes_ to have Rosa’s approval. By the end of the week, Amy has it all organised. Flyers at the store window as well as posted on social media, venues, timetables, and an enrollment website. 

Four classes in four weeks, to learn the baking secrets from the best baking establishment in all of Brooklyn.

Whoever this person taking over Sal’s average bakery was had _nothing_ on Amy Santiago.

***

By the time the classes roll around, Amy has over 100 people signed up. It was enough that she had to have multiple sessions each week, which Rosa reluctantly offered to help with. There are many names she recognises, a lot of frequent customers signing up and trying to get all the secrets to her delicious snacks. Hitchcock and Scully signed up, but she’s pretty sure they were just there to eat whatever was made — she wasn’t going to make a fuss over them paying too much to not learn.

Terry Jeffords was also a name she recognised. He came in every weekend with his three daughters and wife for picnic sweets, and Amy had trouble not sneaking his daughters free treats every time she saw them. Rosa had suggested that having these classes might lose them customers, but Amy was able to quickly shoot her down because there was no way she would share real family recipe secrets. 

There were more names that she recognised but couldn’t quite put a face to, she was too eager for her class to begin to think about it. There was still a whole hour before people would start arriving, but Amy was there hours earlier to make sure everything was prepared in the community college classroom she had rented. 

She smoothed out her pink checkered apron, tightening the bow at the front as well as the ponytail in her hair. Tension headaches be damned, Amy wanted to be presentable and professional as her parents taught her.

The classroom was as dull as a hospital room, unfortunately not smelling nearly as clean as one. Amy checked that every ingredient was lined up on each workbench as she walked over it for the seventh time. If Rosa were here, she’d tell her to relax, maybe read a cookbook or whatever the hell relaxes her when she’s this anxious. 

“Amy, everything is ready.” Rosa’s ability to appear when she needs it the most is impeccable, “Go read a cookbook or whatever helps you chill out.”

Amy was almost on point with Rosa’s dialect, which gives her a rush of pride before she makes her way out of the room at another scary glance from Rosa. Past Amy was simply a genius; she finds this out when she discovers a quiet bench in the courtyard, putting a hand in her back pocket and finding a cigarette.

Smoking was probably the worst of all her anxious habits, and definitely her most shameful one. She’s tried most alternates, including just holding the cigarette to see if it brought her comfort, but it was no good. It’s not like she’s addicted anyway, she only really smoked when she was stressed.

She hates how the first puff instantly relaxes her, leaning against the tree and suddenly noticing the bronzing trees around her enhanced by the sunset. The campus was really beautiful for a community college — even with the dry unkempt grass and fall leaves scattered all around, waiting to be raked up or swept away by the wind. 

Halfway through her cigarette, a lone figure appears, painting an even more beautiful scene than what she was already experiencing. If she had continued painting lessons instead of taking art history, maybe she’d save this moment for later. The serenity of it all is ruined when the figure starts almost sprinting in her direction. Amy has her hands on the pocket pepper spray before she can even think about it but as soon as he gets close, he’s leaning over with his hands on his knees, clearly struggling to catch his breath.

“Wh... What time is it?” The man takes another moment to even out his breathing, and finally standing up straight, she’s able to get a good look at him. 

His curls are the first thing she notices, because they’re sticking up in every direction and his shirt collar is tucked in on one side, and sticking up on the other — it’s bothering her enough to want to light another cigarette. Plus his smile, it contrasts significantly from the grimace of pain he’d expressed just a moment ago. “It’s 5:46. Don’t you have a watch?”

“People still own watches that don’t track your heart rate?” His eyes flick down to her wrist, “Only old people still own watches.”

“People own watches…” Amy shakes her head, finding herself increasingly irritated by this stranger. “If you’re so modern, don’t you have a phone you could check?”

“It died.” He shrugs casually, it’s not a big deal to him whatsoever. “Thanks though... It turns out I’m early and that _never_ happens.”

“I’m not even gonna touch that…”

“Title of your sex tape.” He snorts and Amy looks as if she’s ready to slam him to the ground, “No _,_ _sorry_ , that’s just a joke… Uhhh…”

“I would refrain from making sexual jokes with people you’ve just met in the future.” Amy snarls, arms crossed. 

“Sorry again, it’s hard to explain.” He winces again, shoving his hands in his pocket. “Title of my sex tape! See, all chill.”

“I need to go.” Amy takes a step back, feeling the awkward situation worsening by the second. “Nice to meet you…?”

“Jake.”

“Jake.” Amy nods, “Nice to meet you, Jake. I think…”

“My pleasure.” Jake awkwardly bows to her, and she catches him cringing at himself before she walks away.

It’s only slightly mortifying when Jake shows up in the classroom door four minutes late, despite being fourteen minutes early. His eyes bulge at the sight of Amy, and he’s muttering his apology before bee-lining straight to Charles, the blog writer. He wasn’t joking when he said he was always late, but she decides to take the higher road, and to not completely humiliate him.

Her family business was at stake. 

***

Amy thought it would be hard for people of (she assumes) average intelligence to ruin a batch of cupcakes, but apparently she was the only one learning here. She can’t be surprised by Hitchcock and Scully eating their own bowls of cake batter and icing, but even Terry’s cupcakes icing had melted and one other student managed to find salt instead of the sugar placed on the counter for them. There are a few okay looking ones, but when she reaches the back of the room she finds her star pupil. 

He sits with hands folded over, a smug grin spreading over his features as she takes the picture perfect cupcake off his tray. Jake wasn’t backing down, and she wasn’t going to be taken down by his stupid face and eerily familiar eyes. So she kept her eyes glued to his as she bit into the cupcake, the delightful cream filling surprising her into a soft moan. She’s lucky that it was quiet enough that only Jake could hear it, but unfortunately enough, Jake heard it.

“Well?” His face couldn’t get more smug if he tried, and she only just met him but she knew accepting that challenge would end in regret. This _guy_ that made a sex joke at her right when meeting her would _not_ get the better of her. 

“You’re a natural, Jake.” Amy nods, licking the frosting off her lip innocently, taking something from her apron pocket. “A plus.”

With his eyes glued to her, he jumps when she presses the gold star to his cheek, snapping them both into the reality of the room filled with people, happily focusing their attention on their own cupcakes. 

“Payback.”

The smirk fades from his lips, his neck flushed when she reaches the front of the classroom. He doesn’t continue any of the class clown behaviour he’d displayed at the beginning, and he even left the sticker on his face for the remainder of the class, quiet as she explained the art of baking.

***

Amy breathes a deep sigh of relief on the weekend once the first week of classes are done. Her parents’ only fear of this idea had been loss of business so when the rush arrives at the same time it does every Saturday morning, she can’t be more thankful for the pure chaos. There are people who came to her classes, a whole flood of new customers, some tourists probably, and in the height of the rush, she’s shocked to see Jake Peralta walk through the door.

Another one of her girls is preparing herself to serve him, but Amy is quick to intervene. “Hey Georgia, can you go check our flour stock for me?”

“What? That’s—” She’s visibly annoyed at her boss, probably wanting to serve the cute customer and not do something that Amy’s already done. “Whatever.”

“Jake, hello.” Amy greets, her usual customer service tone coming into effect. “I’ve never seen you around here!”

“I thought if I’m going to take your class I should probably test the product I’m trying to learn.” Jake replies with ease, scanning over the display cabinets. “How were the rest of your classes? Any cupcakes as _exquisite_ as mine?”

“Well, I’ll tell you that you’re the only one that got a gold star.” Amy smirks, watching a slight blush appear before he clears his throat. “What can I get for you?”

“I’ll take the cinnamon scroll aaand that honey mustard chicken sandwich.” Jake smiles genuinely, pointing at one of her best selling items. “I love honey mustard.”

“Would you like that heated up?” Amy treats him like any other customer, but he’s trying far too much to get on her good side.

“What do you recommend?” He leans on the counter, tilting his head to look up at her. “What? I thought we were even now, what’s with the cold shoulder?”

“I’ve just got quite the line to get through, so cold or heated?” 

“I’ll take it normal.” Jake chortles, handing her cash. “Keep the change.”

“Are you trying to bribe me into good grades?” Amy scoffs.

Jake smirks again, tapping his jaw in thought. “Don’t think I need that… I got the gold star, remember?”

How exactly this _boy_ she met this week keeps getting to her, she doesn’t know. Amy was technically his teacher, so this flirting was not only unprofessional but simply inappropriate. Maybe she should have let Georgia serve Jake so she could get her flirt on with him, instead of leading him on.

She feels strange when he finally leaves her shop, waving gently when he does and sharing probably the first genuine moment with him since she met him. He paid for a service, to learn how to bake, so she had to remain professional.

***

“I just don’t understand how Sal’s can go from not being on Boyle’s list to being sixth, Rosa!” Amy ponders, pacing in her office anxiously. “Maybe Subha _did_ buy the bakery…”

“Okay, sure.” Rosa rolls her eyes, “Even if he did, take a look at number one again. _Santiago Dulces_.”

“But if, whoever this is, has jumped to number six after owning it for a week, where will they be in a week?” Amy retorts, throwing an arm in the air dramatically and Rosa remains silent. “That’s _right_ , probably running us out of business!”

“I highly doubt they could run you out of business.” Rosa shakes her head with a sigh, “But if you’re so worried, go check them out. Meet the new owner.”

Amy raises her finger to protest, but quickly starts waving it as the idea soaks in. “That’s a fantastic idea, Rosa!”

“I was joking but go nuts.” Rosa snorts, watching Amy rushing to take her apron off before running out of the store.

The only way to stay on top was to know the competition, that’s what her father told her the day she took over the bakery. Amy had spent her entire life training to the day she would take the family business to new heights; she had big goals for this small place and she couldn’t have an new (compared to hers) bakery messing everything up for 115 years of family history. 

Only a few feet away from Sal’s she can see a panic worthy sight; a fresh coat of paint, new logo design, and through the windows, she can see a completely renovated establishment. She was so _screwed_.

Entering the building, it smells as fresh as it ever had in the few times she had visited the bakery. The beige walls make the fresh ocean blue tables pop, succulents and plants litter the place and the display was shiny — it felt like she was standing in a brand new place, not a bakery that had been there for at least twenty years. Taylor Swift is softly playing on the speaker, and she can hear singing from the back of the shop, likely this sparkly new owner.

_And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again That's the kind of heartbreak time could never mend I'd never walk Cornelia Street again_

The voice isn’t anything spectacular; he’s not going out to win _The Voice_ or anything, but it’s nice and soothing like something she’d listen to to relax after a busy Sunday. Amy is caught up in the softness of his voice, so she doesn’t notice when Jake Peralta appears out of nowhere. “Amy! Nice to see you’ve come to visit me!”

“What the hell is going on? Do you _work_ here?” Amy scowled, attempting to keep her cool.

“Uh, no, actually I own the place.” Jake eyebrows crease in guilt, “I was trying to figure out to tell you and I thought the baking class would be a good segue but then I made that joke and screwed it all up…”

“So you came to sabotage me? Learn all my family secrets and run me out of business?” Amy is struggling to keep her voice down, her defences rising rapidly.

“No! Quite the opposite, I was coming to critique you.” Jake tries to laugh off the rising tension, but Amy wasn’t having it. “I’ve worked here for a while, and I recently took over, I don’t get the big deal.”

“The big deal is that you infiltrated, Jake. I could have shared a super secret family recipe or something!” Amy feels hot with rage, the audacity of him to think that not telling her who he is was unthinkable.

“Was the cupcake recipe a family one? I’m pretty sure I could google that recipe.” Jake says gruffly, “I don’t understand what the big deal is, I already forgot the recipe.”

“You know what? Forget it.” Amy huffs, shaking her head. “Consider yourself banned from future classes. Have a good day, Jake.”


	2. free rent, livin' in my mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake and Amy deal with the new blossoming rivalry between them.
> 
> _I forgot that you existed  
>  And I thought that it would kill me, but it didn't  
> And it was so nice  
> So peaceful and quiet_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooo another chapter and more baking shenanigans! enjoy!
> 
> the song is I Forgot That You Existed by Taylor Swift

It was very possible that Amy Santiago was going to kill him. 

Whatever conclusion she had come to about his intentions were wrong. Sure, Jake was scoping out his competition now that he had officially taken over _Sal’s Bakery_ but he certainly did _not_ want to sabotage her business. He had devoured the food he bought from there, so he didn’t think it was even possible for him to do so.

Jake had been working with Sal for a long time — from a part time job in school to an apprenticeship while he enrolled in business school. After years as his employee, Sal announced he was retiring and had decided to pass the business down. In the moment, Jake had panicked. Was there a secret family Sal was hiding for years? Why wasn’t he just selling the place?

“ _I see you as the son I never had, Jake…_ ” He had said, going on this beautifully prepared speech that had the both of them crying by the end. Jake had been on the same page, seeing Sal as a father figure of sorts. The reason Jake even found Sal in the first place was due to his own flaky dad, so supposedly he should thank his dad for abandoning him at age seven.

He was proud of the work they had done to fix the place up, to make Sal proud. The audacity of Amy Santiago, the prettiest woman he’d ever damn met, to assume he was trying to take her and her lifestyle down. If she wanted a competitor, he would give her that.

“Sup, dough boy!” Gina yells as she walks through the front counter. “Still thinking about your new girlfriend, huh? You’ve got the look of love and _passion_ on your face.”

“Girlfriend? More like my new enemy and _business competition_.” Jake rolls his eyes, returning to check the oven behind him to avoid Gina’s eyes.

“Business competition that you’re already head over heels for, I get it.” Gina is putting on her apron, getting ready for the day. “Your life is basically becoming a rom-com and I am _here_ for it!”

“Go unpack some flour or something useful if you’re gonna insist that my life is a rom-com.” Jake says grumpily. He’s only on his second coffee for the day and he’s still not awake, so the combination of Amy on his mind and Gina on his case _about_ Amy didn’t help his energy levels whatsoever. 

He was facing one particular dilemma when it came to Amy: whether or not he should continue going to her classes. If he did, she very well may kill him. So, he can either annoy the hell out of Amy or he can give her the money for absolutely nothing. It seemed like Amy wasn’t really the kind of person he should mess with, or her employee Rosa; she was, for the lack of better words, fucking terrifying.

So he could go to her class again, and potentially make her more angry than she already was. There was also the chance of him going to the class and making peace with her, possibly even forming a friendship with her. Between his awkwardness when they first met and her figuring out who he was, she seemed like a perfectly pleasant and smart person. Jake really hoped he could be her friend, but he was all too prepared to become her enemy if that’s how she wanted to play it. 

Maybe they’d even be close enemies, like the infamous relationship between rival bakers Raymond Holt and Madeleine Wuntch. They had both been in the New York bakery scene for over thirty years each, their individual scores at the annual baking competitions coming in top two for 16 years running before Raymond sold his store for a job opportunity with NYBA. Madeleine had followed in his direction, and their personal rivalry continued there for years until her untimely death. 

Jake heard about it when scrolling through his social media one morning, and being more of a Holt fan, he wasn’t sure how to feel. He went to the public memorial, where Raymond stood in front of film crews and people that knew Wuntch and told them how much he would miss her, how she pushed him to be better. Ever since then, a part of Jake had wanted a rivalry just like that, minus the early death, probably. 

So Jake goes to the class, and as his favourite drag queen Tatianna would say, _choices._ It was bold, and walking through the community college campus Jake is having second thoughts. Did he really want to piss her off? What exactly was he going to achieve in this? It wasn’t _his_ fault he forgot to bring up his position as a rival bakery owner insinuating a dubious intent. 

But it was his fault, he made a fool of himself and now he had no choice to be her enemy, it would be fun. None of it really matters when he walks into the classroom five minutes late to find the other girl who works at Amy’s bakery at the front. Her face is unyielding of any emotion when she sees him, head simply nodding over to the empty seat next to Charles.

He’s definitely disappointed to say the least, and he tries to hide it quickly before Charles catches on and starts calling another woman his soulmate. To be fair, it had only happened with one woman _but_ he had been so intense about it that it felt like it went on forever. Jake thought Sophia was his soulmate for a hot minute, but she was a lawyer and didn’t quite understand his love for baking and ambitions to own a bakery. It was a disaster of a relationship, and he feels dumb for thinking he could spend forever with her. 

Just because Jake had a brief attraction and was disappointed that she wasn’t there meant nothing anyway. He’s met Amy once, and he doubts that Amy is anything like Sophia. Charles is apparently in the same boat, not making a comment or simply not noticing. He’s glad when the other girl ( _Rosa_ , Charles tells him dreamily a few minutes later) finally starts talking in a monotone voice, knowing within minutes he’ll be half asleep from boredom — it’s what happened through the majority of high school.

He doesn’t think about Amy much during, Rosa’s technique being weirdly captivating. He can feel Charles falling in love next to him, so most of the lesson is spent in discomfort of wanting to not be near that upcoming disaster. 

The class was just fine, considering. It gave him an easy excuse to go to the next one.

***

“He doesn’t seem overly suspicious.” Rosa shrugs, resting against the edge of Amy’s desk.

Amy finally sat down, after pacing for a few minutes at Rosa’s lack of note taking during the class she had just covered. She should be at home, warm and cozy in her snuggie and watching Netflix, but here she was in her office during closing hours that Rosa usually does, trying to figure out Jake Peralta’s agenda. He came to her class a second week in a row after she specifically told him _not to_ , so she was certain he was up to something. 

That’s where Rosa came in. Amy had just about pleaded for Rosa to go suss him out, because she didn’t want to be paranoid, which she had the tendency to do… a lot. But Rosa came back with nothing incriminating so Amy should logically stop worrying about him in her class, but she just can’t shake it off. 

“Honest, I don’t think he’s there to take you down.” Rosa reiterates in her kindest strict voice with a shrug.

“I’m not taking any chances, Rosa.” Amy cautions, “This place is too important to me.” 

“You need to sort out your priorities.” Rosa puts on the worst British accent possible, and it pulls a snort out of Amy. “But if you need me to, I can scare the dude so we’ll never catch a glimpse of him again.”

“No, don’t do that.” Amy waves her hand to stop Rosa from going into a violent trance, “I appreciate your help…”

Rosa offers to stay for closing but Amy is tired, but she’s not ready to go home and she wants to be alone. It had been an unusually busy for a Tuesday, so the time she took to clean would be cathartic. Rosa is packed up and gone within five minutes so Amy is finally able to think clearly. She was definitely right, Amy didn’t have anything to truly worry about. Business hadn’t changed much since Boyle’s dumb food blog post and it wouldn’t even if Jake took the number one spot.

Plugging her phone into the speaker, her cleaning playlist starts and she starts stacking up her chairs neatly, softly singing along. She started early, as she always does. Out of the 364 days of the year she was open, there were very few days where people actually came for food in the last fifteen minutes of the day. Any leftovers she usually packed up to donate to a food shelter, so there were no stragglers waiting for her to give out free food. She’s just about to start mopping the front when the bell rings with the opening of the door. Amy loses grip of the mop as she whips her head up, colliding with the knob of it. 

“Hey, I just stopped by to see if you had anything leftover?” She recognises his voice immediately and she feels her cheeks flare up in anger.

“What are you doing here?” Amy leans against a counter, her arms crossed. “I have nothing left.”

“What’s that black bag full of bread?” Jake points to her a right, a sly smile pulling up on his face. “I love this song.”

“I thought you were a Taylor Swift fan.” Amy rolls her eyes, turning to the black bag to better conceal its contents. “Didn’t Katy and Taylor have that big rivalry?”

“Please, that’s so 2018.” Jake scoffs, inching his way closer to her display case. “Plus, old school Katy Perry is just delightful.”

He kisses the tips of his fingers in a mocking, chef’s kiss way, before laughing and tapping on her clean service counter. “Why are you here?”

“I just wanted to chat.” He shrugs, his hands now in his jean pockets, standing in silence for a few moments before Amy gestures for him to continue. “Look, you weren’t there but I went to the second class and since you don’t want me there… I won’t go. Can I get a refund?”

“A refund? Are you serious right now?” Amy questioned, nose crinkling in amusement. “Didn’t you read the terms and conditions?”

“Come on, no one reads that garbage.” Jake rolls his eyes, and Amy can’t believe her eyes or her ears or _anything_. Jake was serious and thought no one read the terms and conditions. “And that’s something I know from life. Long boring text equals text not being read. That’s why 7.5 percent of people in the state of New York drop out… I assume.”

“I can’t understand you…” Amy says softly, shaking her head. “Regardless, it says it clear as day in them. _No refunds will be distributed if unable to attend the class_.”

“But you kicked me out of the class, I’m entitled to a refund!” Jake had been staring at her dumbfoundedly for a beat before he talks again, but his point is valid enough.

“And you showed up anyway.” Amy retorts quickly.

“Yeah to talk to you about getting a refund!” Jake huffs, “We can be enemies or whatever, I just thought I could get my money back first.”

“Oh you want to be iconic Raymond Holt and the late Madeleine Wuntch, huh?” Amy picks up her wipe and spray, cleaning as she rants on. “As if you’d ever match up to their excellency! Me, I can see one day having lunch with Raymond but _ha_ , as if we’d ever be on the same level. I’m surprised you even know drop out statistics!”

“Did I or did I not jump to second on Boyle’s blog in a week?” Jake is only watching her frantically clean, but he’s bouncing on the spot, just as peeved as she was. “That’s right, because we’re on the same level.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s because he’s obsessed with you as a person for some unbeknownst reason!” Amy sprays the surface closest to him, ‘accidentally’ getting him in the process.

“Well, _I’m_ pretty sure he’s in love with Rosa but that’s not the point.” Jake wipes his face quickly, his face red from frustration. 

“What is the point then?” Amy stops for a moment, her hand on her hips and chin tilted up — a move she learnt at a power pose Ted Talk. 

“I want my money back.”

Amy moves to the next cabinet, and Jake follows on the other side. “You aren’t getting it back. Remember those key words, _non-refundable!_ ”

“Well, then I am entitled to go!” Jake smiles as she halts, slowly turning back to him. “If I don’t get a refund, I’ll be there for the next 3 weeks… Learning every single secret of yours even if you don’t willingly give it up.”

“Oh please, are you some kind of mind reader now?” Amy twists her wipe, giving away to him how nervous this actually makes her even if he didn’t _know_ it. “It’s good to be safe anyway. I will not be fooled so you’re banned from my class and you aren’t getting your money back.”

“I’d hate to take this up with New York Baker’s Association…” Jake rests his arms against the recently cleaned display, which pissed her off more than any of this conversation. “I’m sure this is a violation of some rule.”

It was, not that she would openly say he was right in the middle of this heated exchange — he had that face she knew would be painful to deal with whenever they were right. If he took it to the NYBA, then she could face penalties, like not being able to participate in the baking competition. She didn’t know what type of penalties they gave out, but she couldn’t risk not competing.

“Fine, you can continue in my class.” Amy concedes with her head held high, “What exactly you’re going to gain from it as an owner of a bakery, I don’t know, but whatever.”

“You never stop learning, Santiago.” 

“Get out of my shop, Peralta.”

***

“Ah, mija, there you are! How’s the bakery?”

Amy wishes she was exaggerating when she said that’s how most conversations started with her mother. “Hi mom! I’m good, how are you?”

“Oh pssh,” Her mom slaps her shoulder lightly with a roll of her eyes, “Come on, sit and update your father and I.”

“I made us all coffee.” Her father says as he moves past his wife to hug Amy, “How are you, Amy?”

“I’m good, thank you.” Amy returns the hug just as warmly, somehow feeling just as relaxed as she was tense around them. Turning to her mother, Amy breathes out and says, “And so is _Santiago Dulces_.”

“Good, good.” Camila claps, gesturing for them both to sit. “Did you bring the quarterlies?”

“Yes, mom. The business is doing well and even increasing with the workshop initiative.” Amy explains, taking the folder out her purse and handing it over. “I’ve already submitted my application for the competition and I’m thinking of taking on a new apprentice in the coming months.”

“Very impressive.” Victor nods, his smile proud. “Are you doing well? Rosa hasn’t killed any customers?”

“No, she hasn’t scared anyone off in a few months!” Amy lies straight through her teeth, but they don’t need to know how many people Rosa scares off on the daily, it really had nothing to do with the business. “How’s retirement? How was Australia?”

“You would love it, Amy.” Victor takes a sip of his coffee, waving his hand as he continues. “The coffee is fantastic, they have this thing called a _flat white_ and it’s amazing. Also, koalas are scarier in real life but just as adorable.”

“Oh? Didn’t they just add flat whites to Starbucks?” Amy giggles at this, listening to him share details of the trip while her mom contentedly reads through the quarterly report. “I’ll definitely have to go one day.”

“Oh dang, I have a reason to go to Starbucks now.” Victor chuckles as her mom finally finishes up the report.

“Victor, should we get to the point of this meeting?” Camila looks pointedly between him and Amy, and suddenly the queasy feeling in her stomach is back.

“Ah, knew it wasn’t going to be a simple catch up with you mom.” Amy laughs, her sarcasm hidden by her nerves.

“It is a catch up, sweetheart.” Victor starts hesitantly, “I feel I must keep you informed of some intel I’ve received.”

“Intel?” 

“Well, you know I still have friends in the baker’s association and they let slip that this year they’re launching a new initiative for unity within the NYBA…” Victor continues, taking a hold of Camila’s hand for encouragement. “Those that get through the first round of entries will have to team up with another bakery for the competition and then… The winners will have to compete for the top title.”

“Oh… Well, thank you for letting me know.” Amy doesn’t really know how to absorb this new information. She had to now rely on another business to help her get to the top, Amy didn’t even _need_ help but now she was going to be forced into that situation. She had to start scoping out potential partners immediately, draft a binder, there was no longer time for stupid coffee with her parents. “I should g—”

“Amy, we think you should work with the new Sal’s owner.” Amy almost chokes on her coffee she was attempting to scull down at her mom’s words. “We tried his pastry and they were truly fantastic, it was no wonder he climbed Boyle’s list so quick.”

“Camila, why do you always bring up that damned list?” Victor groans, pinching his eyebrows together.

“It’s a very respected blog!” Camila raises her hands defensively. 

“Mom, I’m not working with him.” Amy shakes her head, her anxiety increasing by the second. “He’s rude, and I don’t trust him.”

“What did you do Amy?” Camila asks sternly.

“What did _I_ do? Did it cross your mind that maybe he did something?” Amy balls her fists to restrain herself before she really got herself in trouble. 

“Did he?” Victor questions calmly. 

“No, we just had an argument.” Amy says honestly, “But I think I can find my own partner, with your permission, _of course_.”

“Yes, it’s your choice, Amy.” Victor is rubbing Camila’s knee to calm her, “Your mother was simply making a suggestion.”

“I think you could just combine your talents very well! That’s all I’m saying.” Camila shrugs again, “Just think about it.”

Even though she agrees to think about it, she has absolutely no intention of doing so. There was no way she would stoop to working with _Jake_ for any reason. Her parents don’t need to hear the semantics behind her newfound rivalry with him nor did she want to _know_ herself. She would find someone in her league and _then_ she would beat him, before he even has the chance to get to the top.

***

Avoiding Jake Peralta was easy enough every other day when they were both busy at work in their own business, only catching a glimpse of each other at the very end of the day when they locked up at the same time

But the baking workshops had gone from an exciting new business initiative to the most dreaded time of the week, because of _him._ Amy was almost able to get Rosa to cover the classes, but Rosa’s love for her only went so far; that meaning that if she wasn’t being paid to be nice to people, she wouldn’t be nice to them. It’s not like Amy was getting paid for it either, all the fees she charged the students went to pay rental fees and other business bills.

It was lucky for Amy that baking and teaching were a passion of hers. Watching people learn, because of her influence, it gave her a rush of pride that not even her mother could take away from her. Jake would be there, with his annoying face and all, but he was a professional already so she could easily ignore him with no harm done. 

_Yes._ That’s what she’d do, just ignore him and whatever ploy he was up to, she wasn’t falling for it. He’d probably sit in the back with Charles again, an easy place to ignore him. Repeating those words as a mantra manage to calm her down enough to a point where she’s not pacing the classroom. Why did Jake make her so nervous?

There was something about him beyond him being business competition. He threatened to take their rivalry to the NYBA, but he didn’t seem to really mean it, not so genuine in his intent. So Rosa was right, and she was being paranoid over him but there was _something_ nagging in the back of her head that told her to _beware_. She could nail that down to paranoia again, but she had a class to teach and no room for Jake Peralta in her brain.

Apparently, he’d made himself very comfortable — in her class _and_ her brain — suddenly showing up _early_ after claiming he was the king of lateness. He struts, _yes literally strutting_ , into class behind Charles, taking the front row seat. She was going to kill him, maybe push his face into some frosting if the opportunity arose.

Still, he may be an annoying fly buzzing around her incessantly, but she would ignore him. Amy was a woman of dignity, so she wouldn’t let a man get to her. She still tells herself this 40 minutes in and desperately craving a cigarette. Jake really wanted to play arch enemies like they were children. Amy wouldn’t stoop so low as to work with him, but she _would_ destroy him in a contest of the immature. 

That was what had her fuming a half hour later when she spots him helping another student while she’s at the back of the class helping another. Not only was he helping them but he wasn’t doing what _she_ taught in _her_ workshop. He’s putting extra apple in the bottom, they’re cut extra small and she doesn’t even know _where_ he got the extra apples from. He can sit in her class and cook whatever he wants, but to take over her class was too much. 

Amy walks up behind him, and the woman doesn’t seem to notice him but Jake does a double take, blushing when he catches her raised eyebrow. “Nice to see that you’re showing this young lady to follow the recipe everyone’s learning.” 

“Oh, well, no… I was showing her a trick I knew…” Jake stammers, scratching the back of his head. “I can... show you if you want.”

“You think you know more than the teacher, Mr. Peralta?” Amy forces a smile on her face, the other girl looking like she wanted to disappear from this interaction. “Please, tell me your _trick._ ”

“I like to cut the apple into smaller pieces for the… _taste._ ” He accepts the challenge she’d thrown out, his eyes not leaving hers once again, and she’s sure it’s got to be the atmosphere of the place that makes everything so _intense_. “It tastes really _really_ good.”

“Well, as you are in a _novice_ baking class I’d like you to keep your experimental ideas for outside of the classroom, no matter how _good_ it tastes.” Amy turns to the other woman, her demeanor completely changed to an upbeat and friendly one. “This won’t change your performance, just make sure you’re following the recipe!”

“I’ll go back to my seat then…” Jake grumbles, a win for Amy.

***

Entering November, Amy is more anxious than she’s ever been heading into the holiday season. It was a vital time for every business and it was more important than ever that she remained on top. It was also detrimental to her mental health that she didn’t check Boyle’s blog for his monthly top bakery list every five minutes. 

She was focusing all her energy out the front, engaging in small talk with even her least favourite customers. It was busy, which was a good start and exactly what she needed. She had a class that night, so the last thing she needed was to be focusing on that _list._ Rosa was on that, checking the list in an uninteresting manner every once in a while, also able to physically stopp Amy from checking the computer or her phone. She was a good friend, her _best_ friend, and as much as Rosa didn’t want to say it, she was hers. 

Amy wasn’t one to care about Boyle’s list before Jake came around, there was no one around that would come near her quality. Now her own mom was doubting her spot, not to her face, but Amy knew that she had been thinking it. If the ranking of the shop went down, the high opinion of her parents would go down. Too much was relying on Boyle’s damn blog.

“Boss?” Rosa calls from the office, Amy turning to find Rosa standing at the doorway with a look of faint shock on her face, and dread floods her in an instant because even at the worst of times, Rosa hid her emotion. “You’re not going to like this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> amy is having a Rough Time™ :( but i'm sure it'll get better eventually... probably!! who knows!! i sure dont!!
> 
> kudos and comment are appreciated :)

**Author's Note:**

> this fic is rated T for now. this MIGHT change it very much depends on confidence so like,, yeah.
> 
> soooo thoughts?? kudos and comments are appreciated!


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